


Over Miles and Miles and Oceans and Seas

by LittleGirlLostExplores



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Coming Back, Fluff and angst but only a little angst, M/M, Miscommunication, Moving Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 19:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9839957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGirlLostExplores/pseuds/LittleGirlLostExplores
Summary: It was just a silly promise.  They were 8, no one could expect them to see it through 22 years later.....can they?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cg_lurks (cg_reads)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cg_reads/gifts).



> This is for my darling @CG_Lurks. I spent a month and a half staring at the prompts going "......I have no idea. I don't have a ghost of an idea for any of these prompts." Then I got desperate and I scrolled through every single page of you fic wishes list on tumblr and I sat there going ".......I am so incredibly borked. I have NOTHING." And then I was eating supper with my Dad, who happened to be watching taboo on tv and I was thinking about how it really is really very obvious that the part was written as a POC part and yes it really IS pretty racist and crappy that Tom Hardy decided to play the role himself when it hit me. 
> 
> "REGENCY!!" I screamed. And my father said ".....what?"
> 
> "REGENCY! THAT'S IT, THAT'S THE ANSWER TO MY PROBLEM, DON'T YOU SEE???!!" And my father said ".......what the HELL are you talking about?"
> 
> So.....here's what the hell I'm talking about. I sincerely hope you love it as much as I love you.
> 
> (and please forgive that it's 5 days late, I'm hoping the length will make up for it!)
> 
> Also, self betad so if you guys see something, sing out!

Justin Oluransi had known Adam Birkholtz for a very very long time. Years. Eight of them to be exact and that was, as everyone knows, forever. They had spent much of their youth together, running back and forth between their parents’ mannerhouses on the hillside, tucked away in a quiet English glen, just outside of a small village in the country. Devonshire was a wonderful place for young boys to grow up in, filled to the brim with opportunities for experiment and danger and bodily, if not terminal, harm. It made their fathers chuckle indulgently and their mothers strongly consider locking them in an attic or two until they were at least 20. But they persisted and grew as boys are wont to do. As long as they were learning their lessons and their master’s had no complaints, and they were not actually engaging in intentional destruction of person or property, their parents felt compelled to let them continue. Besides, at least if they were together then when dire straits fell upon them they had a second set of legs to go run for help. At least that was the theory. But they were as bad as each other.

The years passed and they were maybe 7 when the whole village was invited to the wedding of one of the more prominent farmers to the girl he’d been very studiously courting for, well it seemed like forever to the young man. That lead to many, many questions from the two intrepid explorers. What is getting married? Why do we do it? The boys were told that all children must get married eventually. People are not meant to be alone. They need a partner to walk through life together. Someone to love and to love them. It is a partnership, like Mother and Father. And only spouses may have children. And everyone wants and needs children. To carry on the name and take over the family business. And because children are blessings. The explanations were very piecemeal. The boys thought about these things. And they talked it over. And they came to the conclusion that THEY loved each other. And wanted to spend all their time together and that was how it had always been. So it only made sense for them to get married. But they must wait because only adults get married. They didn’t feel the need to share this decision with their parents, they reasoned they could let them know when the time came.

A year or two went by and they began to get older and their interests diverged. Justin was fascinated by nature and how it worked and what made plants grow better and the horses throw better healthier foals. Adam develops a love for numbers and organization and rules, but at the same time spends hours learning to play the piano better than almost anyone he knows, and he quietly accompanies himself when alone. Justin gains a love of helping and fixing people after watching a wandering physician set a village boy’s dislocated shoulder after he fell from a high branch in a tree. Adam finds that he loves to dance when he’s dragged in to help with his sisters’ lessons. He also begins to find he very much enjoys dressing up. But these discoveries are brought back by each to the other as little parcels of wonder and joy. They each delight in the twists and turns they discover about the other’s budding personality. Justin could happily listen for hours to Adam singing on the piano bench or in the garden or out in the fields. Adam listens with bated breath while Justin explains the ins and outs of making sure the lambs are fed well and the careful tending it takes to help them grow up strong. It is, by any description, an idyllic time in their lives.

The Oluransi’s and the Birkholtz had always been very close, particularly Mrs. Isioma Oluransi and Mrs. Meira Birkholtz, having been friends in school. Their strong friendship and intention of raising their children together ensured that the Oluransi children and the Birkholtz children grew up in an environment of having four parents split between two houses and it was not unusual for the parents to share all the responsibilities of raising their little flock. 

This closeness eventually led to their downfall.

One night over drinks at his club in London Mr. Oluransi was approached by a group of farmers that wanted him to invest. They wanted to go to the newly discovered land of New Zealand where land was cheap and raise sheep. They reasoned that if they bred Merino lambs with good, hardy, British stock they could get finer wool with a more sturdy animal, the British variety having better meat on it to boot. They needed investors to help them charter a ship and give them seed money. They promised a 50/50 return. Mr. Oluransi thought they might be on to something but he put them off saying he needed to see plans and budgets and proof of livestock ownership. He also needed to speak to his solicitor before he invested a red penny boys. So they agreed to meet again in three weeks time at the office of Mr. Oluransi’s solicitor. Mr. Oluransi went home to his wife and his children. He talked it over with his wife and they decided that if the paperwork panned out they would be happy to invest in this venture. They thought of the dowries they would be able to provide for their children, who had land and minor titles but little liquid currency. They knew that with the large family they had they would need to do something daring with a large return if they wanted their children married off to spouses of worth and at least partial ease.

So they waited the three weeks and they liquidated a good portion of their savings and other investments. The meeting with the Queensland Woolfarming Company, as it was to be named, went well. Both Mr. Oluransi and the his solicitor saw what they were hoping to see and the arrangements were made forthwith to send the men and their families and supplies over the waters to New Zealand and start shipping back the wool.

Eventually a year and a half passed. The farms had been set up and functioning for months and they were sending back their first crop of wool to be sold. The Oluransi’s waited anxiously to see how the wool would do in the British market. It took a few months but it was a massive success! The first of many large returns was announced by a letter from the London solicitor. Isioma and Obori were overjoyed! They invited Meira and Wolf for a dinner party the next night.

They had a very pleasant dinner and retired to the drawing room to play cards and listen to Obori play the paino, he had taught Adam in fact. They were sitting around the card table and Meira had just finished pouring the after dinner drinks for everyone when Obori stood up. He cleared his throat sheepishly and raised a glass.  
"A toast. Only this morning we had very exciting and fortunate news. The wool from the sheep investment in Queensland has not only arrived but is one of the most sought after commodities available this season! The wool is so soft and takes dye so well that it is all the rage with not only the matchmaking mamas but also with their charges and the matron within the Ton! It has been a HUGE success and our profits look to be at this point 150% of our expenditure!"  
At this Obori sits down and drinks deeply from his glass, happy and feeling quite assured of his family's safety and financial security. Wolf's reaction was somewhat unexpected however.

His face turned flushed a red color and his eyebrows turned in and down.

“When did you make this investment, Mr. Oluransi, how long were you going to keep this for yourself? Did you not think that maybe others might want to share in this wealth, that others might have need of a good investment with the coming years full of dresses and suits and balls and coming out parties? Did you think of no one but yourself, sir!”

Obori felt dizzy with the change of climate in the room. “Did I think of no one but myself you say! I thought only of my family whom I wanted to protect and secure, whom else SHOULD I have thought about sir and why should I listen to you excoriate me sir when you have done nothing yourself to help the family?”

Wolf puffed his chest up, outraged. “Nothing! Nothing! I, who have spent so much time slaving away working to make the farms of the village and the land work for us! I have done nothing to help my family? Come Meira, get the children we are going home!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was a turning point for the Birkholtz and Oluransi families. Very soon after the Olurnasi family shut up their country home and purchased an estate outside Paris in Elancourt. They lived there for many years and not one letter from the family ever reached the Birkholtz. Adam felt the loss keenly but knew as the eldest child he should set an example and so he never brought up how lonely he felt without the presence of Justin or his sisters. He knew Father and Mother were upset when he wondered when he could expect Mr. and Mrs. Oluransi to come back to the country house because he had a new discovery that he thought Justin would find interesting. Eventually he simply stopped mentioning them, if only to avoid that pinched look on their faces whenever he brought them up. 

Years went by. Adam grew older as did his sisters. Adam made his social debut and began looking for a spouse. He spent time at garden parties and card parties and summer salons and soirees. He went into London and had fittings and tailoring appointments and visited shops for hats and gloves and canes. He spent time walking in the parks both on his own two legs and on the four legs of his favorite horse. He went on hunting trips, Adam hated hunting. In fact, Adam hated all of it. The girls were too silly and flighty, giggling and hiding behind their fans. All they wanted was to dance the newest forms and quadrilles. Their idea of conversation was petty gossip and they liked nothing more than tearing each other down behind their backs. They were so focused on the prize of being married that they didn’t seem to care whom it was they were going to be married to! Adam couldn’t abide by them and their chirping chattering. No thank you.

And the boys were almost worse! All they cared about was drinking and carousing and racing horses! Or else they cared only for playing with investments and then playing the dandy, spending all day shopping and being tailored for a wardrobe that would barely be used once before it was passé the next season. They cared only for proving their masculinity, their stamina and prowess. And try to have a normal conversation or dialogue with them! You couldn’t! They always had to be right, had to know more than you, had to have a bigger fortune or house or horse. They were insufferable and just as ninny-headed as the girls! Very few cared for thoughtful discussions of anything, neither academic fact nor artistic opinion. Strutting peacocks or prowling wolves, those were his choices and not a one of them could hold a conversation. Adam was beset on all sides really. He was not interested in shackling himself to as one of them for the rest of his life and had no problem explaining that, at volume if need be, to his dear Mother and Father. Often his parents would bring up the fact that until he was married off or at least courting they could not debut his sisters because the funds would still be going to him. The younger girls didn’t actually mind this and Adam suggested that they debut the girls anyway and leave him alone for the love of all that is holy. His mother hated when he said that. 

Fortunately for Adam, or possibly fortunately for his sisters, a curious thing began to happen. As soon as the eldest of the three sisters began to approach the age of 16, which was most often the age of majority depending on the child of course, envelopes began to appear at the London office of Mr. Birkholtz’ solicitor. These envelopes were always left “Courtesy of QWI co.” with no other identifying marks. They were filled with a large sum of money, always noted to be used for the dowries and marriage mart expenses of the three girls and always to be divided evenly among them. Nothing more was mentioned. The sums fluctuated throughout the years but they were always a large amount, always with the same directions, and always lacked any sort of identifying marks save that stamp, “Courtesy of QWI co.” Once it had been determined that the originator of the sums could not be determined by hook or by crook the Birkholtz decided to use the money as was directed and be thankful that there was a wealthy, though enigmatic, benefactor somewhere that allowed Adam to slip the hook of finding a match because he was standing in his sisters’ way. His parents eventually let him be about the whole situation, although one could never even charitably call it a happy resolution on their part.

So Adam was left to stew about this for at least a season, his parents assuming he would become bored and jealous with nothing to do. Adam however found himself quite happily amused, living in the London Townhouse, investing his allowance wisely and seeing how much he could increase it, and spending time at his club learning instruments and musical theory he hadn’t heard of before, mostly out of France and every once in a great while, out of Spain. He didn’t feel slighted at all, to the consternation of his parents.

Adam, in his heart of hearts, could not, however, say that his reticence and reluctance to be wooed by any of the available Ton was 100% due to their many and varied flaws. He, if he was being completely honest, would be forced to admit that he was still quite caught up in thoughts of Justin. Justin who was never far from his mind. He couldn’t help it but whenever he thought of a spouse, of a husband, he invariably pictured Justin or at least someone Justin shaped, in personality or body. 

He missed the quiet times out in the country, sitting under a tree by the stream, discussing nature and philosophy, or at least the philosophy of ten year old boys. He missed the strange closeness he had had with Justin and he, again if he was feeling honest, must admit that he was holding the promise of eventual marriage by an 8 year old Justin closer to his heart than anything that a suitor could promise him today. Not that he had mentioned it to anyone in years and years. Adam had reached the ripe old age of 30 at this point and he was the despair of his parents. He was never to be married off and they were in hysterics over the fact that he seemed to care not a whit! 

And why should he care? None of these popinjays could hold a candle to Justin. They were not so tall, nor so well figured. Their legs not so long nor their arms so muscled nor their shoulders so broad as Justin. They were not so accomplished in medicine nor science. They were not so talented at dance or keeping rhythm. They were not so warm or humorous, lighthearted or minxlike in their personality as Justin. The fact that Adam had not had contact or even had word of Justin since they were ten years old didn’t have any effect on these facts. So Adam went about his business and never really minded about his future. 

He started focusing on building up capital to help his finance the debut of his first sister, after all he thought, his hobby might as well benefit the family considering his bachelor status continued to be such an emotional trial to the family, particularly his dear Mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin was distraught. His nerves were a wreck. He was utterly unsuited to this level of stress. A bloody revolution? No problem. A daring escape in the dead of night from a country at war? Easy as anything. Moving back to his childhood home and relearning how to fit into English society and restarting the search for a spouse that he doesn’t really want in the first place? Utterly unthinkable! More often than not he found himself spending his time curled under tables and focused on reciting the names of all the bones in the human body or something similar. It had always upset his Mama and Papa but they never really knew how to pull him out of it. Adam had known. But Adam wasn’t here was he? Justin needed to fix this himself. And why shouldn’t he be able to, he’d been handling it for himself for almost twenty years! He hasn’t had the benefit of Adam in France and he did just as well without him, why should he not continue that back home in England! He does miss his older sister however, it’s a bit lonely living at the country house in Devonshire without her but she and her husband bought a small townhouse in London when they had fled back to England when the revolution had become inevitable. Which was as it should be but he was saddened that things had to be different when they finally came home. But he decided early on in the summer that he would try to find local physicians to continue his studies. That hadn’t worked out terribly well as they were so far outside of Town that none of the truly talented surgeons bothered to pass through the area. Although he’d spent some time working with the local livestock physican and that had been fascinating and he’d learned much. But a summer with the doctor had really taught Justin all he could learn from the man and so he’d sunk into a petulant boredom. 

Justin couldn’t help but think at least once a week that Adam was a cruel man and he’d be damned if he was going to chase after him by god! Justin was an Oluransi! He would not beg for scraps of attention. He’d been in the country now for almost a year. News of his residence in the country would have reached Town in at most a month or two. So Adam was obviously ignoring him and had no desire to see him. Well that’s fine with Justin. Justin isn’t bothered by his childish behavior at all, it’s not as if Justin has any sort of leftover feelings for Adam. Those died long ago. In France. While Justin was alone and lonely. And still a child of course. Those feelings were never real, not real in that way that feelings that last a lifetime are, not real in the way his parents’ feelings are real. And really, if you can’t have feelings that are real in that way then what is the point? Honestly, Justin isn’t bothered by his self imposed solitude at all. 

He is however quite pleased that his dear Mama and Papa have finally stopped throwing suitors in his path. Justin has no interest in any of them. They’re all so dull. Men and women. They interest him not at all and why should he marry someone that bores him? His parents had always told him that he must marry his equal in all things if he wanted to his marriage to continue to be happy through the years. And he has always privately agreed with them. So his interest in anyone that cannot follow him in conversation is none at all. And if they can keep up with him mentally they can’t be bothered to keep up with him physically. He enjoys nature and not just the quiet, pastoral portions of nature but also the mucky, squishy, squirmy, living portions too. And very few, in fact none, of his suitors could keep up with him in both arenas of his life. 

Worse, they treated him as if he was delicate and far too adult. He was looking for a partner in crime, someone to enjoy the silliness of life with and those that were trying to woo him spent none of their time laughing, not unless it was at someone else’s expense which Justin could stand not at all. But Justin doesn’t mind any of this really because he’s not looked at a one of those hopeful candidates and thought “Yes, he makes my heart beat fast! Yes, she makes my pulse race!” so he doesn’t feel any of it to be too much of a loss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
While Justin was spending all of his time being a brooding, petulant thing, his parents were getting on with the business of reintegrating into village life. That meant perforce being in attendance at certain gatherings. Tonight that meant attending the celebration of the summer harvest for the village and surrounding areas. Unfortunately this also meant an increased chance of crossing paths with the Birkholtz, as they had never sold their property and in fact lived there to this day. 

As often happens at these events the Oluransi’s were seated with the Birkholtz’. The Birkholtz inquired politely about life on the continent and the Oluransi’s politely avoided any talk of blood and gore or deprivation of any sort, as all polite company would do. However, what with the revolution taking over France and being the reason that they left and at such a pace as they did, Mrs. Oluransi soon ran out of amusing anecdotes about Life On The Continent and let slip the family trip to New Zealand. Queensland in fact. Her ankle narrowly missed being thoroughly kicked when she let that slip.

There was a moment when Mr. Oluransi thought that that little tidbit had fallen through the cracks of the dialogue and he started to breathe a sigh of relief. Sadly, the fates were not in the mood for any such stroke of luck.

“Queensland. Queensland….wasn’t that where your woolfarming operation was Obori,” Mr. Birkholtz ventured as he picked and pawed his was to a conclusion.

“Er, yes, yes it was Wolf. You know you’ve always had a wonderful memory, do you train for it sir,” Mr. Oluransi tried desperately to lead the conversation away from the subject. If it had caused such a row the first time it was mentioned Mr. Oluransi did not want to know what a second act would yield.

Mr. Birkholtz face started to shuffle through a myriad of expressions one after another, rather like a set of dominos successively knocking each other down, finally leading to a grand finale. Mr. Oluransi didn’t dare to think what that finale might be this time and he and his wife steeled themselves for another disaster.

“Wait. Wait just one moment, wait. Obori. Obori you mean to tell me. Obori it was YOU. The whole time, it was YOU THE WHOLE TIME? QWI co. QWI co is the Queensland Woolfarming Investment Company! You were the one sending those funds this entire time?!”

Mrs. Birkholtz face had gone white. And her husband was handling the news with considerably less decorum but with considerably more awe so really it was a toss up as to which reaction was preferably at this point.

Mr. Oluransi turned to his wife, absolutely befuddled, looking for help from really any corner at this point. Mrs. Oluransi was sadly no help as she too was mystified by this behavior and conversation. Mr. Oluransi turned back to the Birkholtzs.

“Yes?” he tried.

“Well why didn’t you ever SAY anything??” Mr. Birkholtz barked.

Now Mr. Oluransi was righteously exasperated and he didn’t mind showing it, no matter how impolite it might be.

“Well Wolf who ELSE was going to help put the children through their seasons?”

At this Meira’s eyes grew large, “You meant the family,” she whispered as if working it out while she spoke. She looked up with wide eyes.

“You meant the family. The WHOLE family! That’s what you meant, wasn’t it!”

“Yes Meira, of course. I mean it is only us in the family!” Obori eyed Wolf, “Did you expect me to shirk my duties? We have seven children to wed by the end of the day, it was going to take a fortune! What else could I have done, NOT finance the younger girls? I wouldn’t consign them to a lesser marriage and I know you wouldn’t have it Wolf!”

“Obori, did it ever once occur to you that maybe you should have clarified your plans just a bit when you were announcing them? Or possibly some time in the 20 years that followed? You old fool you could have come home! We never wanted you to move to France!”

“You didn’t know…THAT’S what that fight was about? You didn’t know I meant all the children?? Well. Well, yes, I suppose I should have said.”

“And we should have known, Isioma we should have known that you would never leave some of the children to fend for themselves. Oh we apologize, how foolish we have been! Oh how can we ever fix this Wolf!” Meira was working herself up to being thoroughly distraught. 

“Now now my love never fear, we’re all here now and things can go on as they should, yes? We are just glad this has been mended and we can put it behind us,” Isioma embraced Meira and heaved a cleansing sigh while their husbands happily shook hands and made much headway in the mending of all broken fences.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Meanwhile Adam had been lurking around his London Townhouse, avoiding his parents, the matchmaking mamas, the suitors themselves, and really anyone that wants to have a conversation with him that might include the words marriage, spouse, courting, or any related terms. To put it succinctly Adam is hiding. Although it’s a very dignified and grown up version of hiding he must still admit that it is hiding. Today, he is having lunch at his club with a friend from his latter days in school, Derek Nurse. 

Predictably, Derek is already there and waiting for him when Adam slides into the booth.

“Have you ordered yet my friend, or have you waited for me as is polite? I bet I can tell you which it is.” Adam enjoyed teasing Derek as his response would either be utterly unruffled or completely histrionic, and never anything in between.

“Yes, yes, I have waited for you as is proper, although you reminding me of my manners on every occasion does not in fact make you my elder brother you know. Now, be quiet and grateful because I have some news that you will greatly want to hear. And I shan’t share it if you’re beastly to me.”

“Well you do know more about what’s going on in every nook and cranny of England than anyone else I can think of so I shall choose to believe your claim and will wait patiently for your goodwill sir.” Adam’s canted grin was fond, he often did think of Derek as a little brother and he very much enjoyed the verbal riposte back and forth between them.

“I shall grace you with my information for I love you sir, though god knows why I do! There has been a family retrieved from the barbarian continent and they have settled right there in Devonshire where you yourself come from Mr. Birkholtz.”

“Yes, there have been many in recent months, the bloody revolution weren’t you aware?” Adam’s tone travels from utterly laconic to steeped in biting sarcasm by the end of the sentence, “Why are you wasting my time with this little brother?”  
Derek’s smile is a slow lazy thing, “Because dear brother, you have not asked who this family might be.”

Adam just barely restrains himself from rolling his eyes and growls out, “Then tell on oh playwright, to what family do you refer?”

Derek smiles a small smug smile, “Oh it’s only the Oluransis, back in residence at the country home. The eldest daughter and her husband have taken a townhouse down the way, but Justin stays with his parents and younger sister. At home. Alone. Unmarried. And refuses all suitors. His parents are quite anxious to have him off and settled. Not for financial reasons but because they worry for his happiness you understand.” The mischievous look on Derek’s face tells plainly that he knows exactly the import of the information he’s just shared.

Adam. Adam however looks so stunned as to be able to be bowled over by a feather. His eyes are large and it’s obvious that his brain is racing as fast as is possible. Justin is back, justin is back and within his reach! They’d promised to marry when they were but boys…can he possibly remember that too? Justin has rejected all other suitors. All the suitors in France AND England. Maybe it’s not that though, maybe he just doesn’t care for any of them. Well that’s alright too Adam supposes. It’s not as if he should give Adam a chance anyway, he’s very far out of Adam’s reach. But, he’s getting older, his prospects are slimming, just like Adam’s. He hasn’t courted any of them at all. Adam has a chance. Maybe he can convince Justin that it’s better to marry the devil you know, at least Adam can make him content, if not happy as only romantic love can. Adam will love Justin the best ways he knows how and even if Justin never returns that love Adam can make him happier than anyone else who doesn’t love Justin! Adam might just have a chance here! Just like that Adam’s mind is made up and he has a plan.

“Derek, Derek I owe you more than you can imagine but right now, right now I have to go. I- please forgive my terrible manners but I must go!” Adam scrambles up from the table and out the door. “Thank you again Derek!”

Adam makes a quick stop at his townhouse, packs for a month and calls for his carriage to be readied. On the way, he stops at the solicitors office and retrieves a small bag from the family safe. He just barely stops himself from riding hell for leather all the way home. It is a three day journey out into the country….if you’re travelling with women and children. Two days if you are not. Adam bets he could make it in just over one if he tried but he also knows that he doesn’t want to show up to the house in a state like that, his mother would have his hide and then he’d never finish this errand.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Adam’s Mother does in fact have his hide for how he appears at the house but when she hears his story she lets the whole situation go. She does however demand that he rest and bathe, Adam you cannot go over there like a godless heathen my sweet, before she lets him out of the house. So bright an early the next morning, Adam dresses himself with care in some of his nicest clothes and sweeps up the bag he brought home on the way out. 

Adam is shown into the parlor, it’s so familiar to him he’s almost dizzy with it, by the only bodyservant that the Oluransi’s have ever kept with them full time, more of an honorary part of the family by the time Adam had been level with the man’s waist. 

Mr. Oluransi smothers a smile, “Adam my boy it is so good to see you! And how strange to see you coming up my drive on a horse! I can’t remember when you’ve shown up at anything but the kitchen door having tramped through the fields. It must be an unusual day, eh?” And Obori reaches out to embrace his second son,

Adam colors in such a way that no one could ever call delicately and returns the embrace, “Yes sir, it is not my normal behavior at home but I think today deserves a different approach. Might Justin be available for callers this morning, sir?”

Isioma smothers a giggle of pleased vindication on the other side of the doorframe where she is hidden.

“Why yes, Adam, I do believe he is up and ready to receive visitors. Why don’t you go on back to the Western garden, I’m sure you’ll find him. But stop by the kitchen before you go, I’m sure Miss Adele will have lemonade and a treat or two for you to take out to him, you know how she favors you boys.”

Adam colors a bit more and ducks his head in agreement, “Yes, I’ll just….I’ll just head out there. Now. As you’ve said. Sir.” And he makes his dubious escape.

Isioma peeks around the corner as soon as his steps fade, and cannot but burst into laughter when her eyes meet her husband’s. “They’ll be engaged within the day, and you owe me a favor, I won the bet, I knew the first time he appeared at our door it would be with an offer.”

“Yes, yes darling, you’ve won fair and square, I should know by now not to bet against you, especially where the children are concerned.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin looked gorgeous. Granted his expression was either that of a cat that has had it’s tail trod on or has lapped up spoiled milk, but he was still gorgeous to Adam. Now all Adam had to do was get over there while balancing the lemonade, the fairycakes, his hat, and you know his two suddenly left feet. No problem.

Adam managed to make his way all the way across the Western Garden to the shady tree under which Justin sat, completely absorbed in his book.

Adam placed the tray in front of them and then sat down next to Justin, not planning to say a word until Justin acknowledged him, he’d always hated being pulled out of a book before he was ready, and that was if you could even manage to get his attention in the first place. Adam knew that the best thing to do was quietly wait until Justin noticed your presence.

Without looking up from his book, “Whoever you are, go away, I’ve managed, so far, to have a perfectly fine day and I’ll not have it ruined by another utterly unsuitable suitor. I don’t care where you’re from or who or why. Just come back another day when it’s already been ruined.”

Justin knew he was being both rude and fairly nasty but he just couldn’t BEAR another day lost to ruin due to these endless, artless, heartless suitors. It was, quite simply, too much.

Adam smothered a peel of laughter before it could draw it’s first breath.

“Well, alright, I guess I could go back where I came from and try again tomorrow but Miss Adele gave me our favorite fairycakes and it would be a shame to waste them. Then again maybe I shall finally be allowed to eat all of them myself and not be forced to share. I’ve been looking forward to that a very, very long time.”

From the first word Justin knew who it was, he jerked his head up and stopped, stock still, watching his face, watching everything about him, a delighted smile crashing over his countenance.

“….Hello Justin.” Adam’s smile mirrored Justin’s perfectly. They both catch hell that night for getting grass stains on their clothes.

 

“So you came over at the ungodly hour of 9 o’clock just to say hello? That’s not like you Adam Layabout.”

“Well Justin Earlybird, that’s because I didn’t just come over to say hello,” Adam digs into the bag at his side and produces a small box, “I came over here at the ungodly hour of 9 o’clock to ask for your hand in marriage.”

Justin’s heart soars. He remembers! He loves me just as much as I love him and he’s finally come for me! 

“I know we were just boys when I asked the last time and we didn’t know what love was but you hate everyone else that’s asked, in fact you won’t have anyone else that’s available in all of England and France. But I know you and I know how to make you happy, isn’t it better to marry a friend than to not marry at all?”

Justin can actually feel his heart breaking.

“Yes of course, married to my best friend, if I can’t have love then it is the best possible option.”

And that, as they say, was that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wedding was lovely, one of the events of the entire season. It was held in the small church in the country village. The wedding dinner was served in the fields between their two houses. Dancing and drinks took place after the dinner with an orchestra set up outside under the night air and torches burning all around.

The two grooms looked happy, but if you looked closely and knew them well, you could see a bit of sadness in their eyes, a bittersweet self recrimination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Married life was surprisingly easy to settle into for Adam and Justin. They had spent so much of their lives together, wrapped up in each other that most pitfalls to setting up house together just didn’t materialize or were easily worked out.

Responsibilities were divided up according to talent. Their tastes in food and clothing were close enough never to class. They had no shortage of servants wanting employment with their house as they had always treated those that worked and lived with them as family. They had decided early on in their engagement, around age 9, that they wanted a country house that reminded them of the ones they grew up in so that wasn’t a fight. They more or less seamlessly slipped into married life with nary a hitch. 

In fact, married life only made everything so very much worse. It allowed them to see their spouse in their most unguarded moments and oh, they fell so much more in love. Adam’s nose scrunches in the most adorable fashion when he is waking up in the morning. And Justin’s instinctual response to porridge is enough to make Adam swoon. Justin thinks that if he is forced to watch Adam swing himself down from the back of their tallest black thoroughbred one more time he will not be held accountable for his actions. Adam has bitten his lip bloody watching Justin emerge warm and freshly scrubbed from his bath every night even in his nightshirt it’s the most tempting thing he’s ever seen. Justin has developed a reflexive surge of desire when he sees Adam concentrating on his work at the desk in the study. Adam has to actively sit on his hands whenever Justin shows him a new discovery he made in the fields or at the pond for fear of grabbing him and kissing him breathless.

Certainly they had their moments, usually when they were alone in the bath or out for a solitary ride or while the other was away at an appointment, that they couldn’t keep up the façade anymore, couldn’t bear to pretend that they weren’t desperately in love with their spouse, the most perfect spouse, in fact, in the entire world, and even better than that for sacrificing himself and his chance at happiness to give his best friend the opportunity to have a halfway happy life. There was little enough in the world that one would not do for the other and they were both aware of it, though neither knew it was the same love that motivated both of them.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam has always been close to all of his sisters, really all five of his sisters if he is to be honest. But with his eldest sister married off and with a husband now, he tends to write to her more often. It also helps that the other four sisters are still within a half hour’s ride and he sees them at least once or twice a week.

But he keeps in touch with Alyssa by letter more than he feels comfortable admitting. That bond was forged years ago when Alyssa and her husband had been visiting England, before the family fled France, and Adam had run into her at a soiree. He’d been introduced to her husband, newly minted at the time, Benjamin, and had liked him very much. Of course two hours later Adam has revised his opinion harshly and decided that he was very much against Benjamin in every conceivable way. What else is a man to do when another man utterly betrays the first man to his wife. Benjamin had happened upon Adam in an unused room, brooding sadly out the window with a full decanter of exceptionally good whiskey that their host would never notice was missing. Instead of being a solid and respectable chap, Benjamin had hied hence and set his wife after Adam.

Alyssa had taken one very telling look at Adam and asked him who the girl was that had stolen his heart and also if he could pass the whiskey please. Adam had snappishly informed Alyssa, miss knowitall that she was, that he was not mooning over a girl. Alyssa replied that if he wasn’t mooning over a girl than he had better tell her what boy he was mooning over and that he shan’t be able to deny that he was in fact mooning as he was the one who used the word in the first place. Wretched woman, why did he love her so. 

Adam then proceeded to, thanks to the very excellent whiskey, tell Alyssa all about his hopeless and helpless love affair with her brother who was far, far too good for Adam and how Adam would thus die alone and miserable, and also how his parents would never forgive him for not marrying because don’t you know, that’s all they’ve been looking forward to since his birth really.

Alyssa decided that Adam had had quite enough whiskey and demanded that Benjamin take him home with them and lock him in their guestroom until his hangover abated.

As it turns out, he was not in fact locked in the guestroom, he simply couldn’t think well enough with his hangover to manage the closing mechanism on the door.

Humiliations abound that morning however because as soon as he is heard to be moving about, Alyssa swoops into the room and traps him in his bed to talk about his feelings. Ugh. Feelings AND a hangover. It’s really more than a man can be asked to bear. 

Anyway, since then Alyssa has kept his secret (he begged her), has been his confidant and main source of advice when it comes to her brother and what he should know (she begged him), and really quite a massive pain in his neck all things considered, but in that older sister manner where he hates dealing with her but couldn’t possibly bear to live without her (it’s a wretched feeling).  
Adam has always exchanged letters with her, and after his marriage it is no different. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin has always sorted the mail in the mornings, mostly because he is the only one of the two that is awake in the mornings though they are both ambulatory by this point. The bills and correspondence regarding the London Townhouse go to Adam and are his responsibility. The bills and correspondence that pertain to the country house go to Justin. The personal letters are divided, obviously, by addressed recipient. 

This morning Justin is in a fairly excellent mood. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, its going to be a warm but not sweltering day by the look of things, he is planning to spend a large portion of it outside, maybe drag Adam out on a picnic lunch in the flower garden. He has split up the letters this morning and wonder of wonders, there is a letter from his dear sister Alyssa!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam is having a simply lovely morning. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, its going to be a warm but not sweltering day by the look of things, he is planning to spend a large portion of it outside, maybe drag Justin out on a picnic lunch in the flower garden. He has his half of the post and has just settled down behind his very comfortable desk in the study to attend to them when.

“DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU STUPID MAN THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH ME THE ENTIRE TIME??! HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME I HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY STUPID OVER YOU FOR YEARS. FOR *YEARS* ADAM JOSHUA BIRKHOLTZ!!”

Adam’s admittedly lovely, fairly enraged husband is leaning over the desk, looming over him and practically snarling with a letter crushed in one hand. Adam sputters and shrinks back in his chair as Justin leans further over the desk.

“WE,” he hisses, “could have been having amazing filthy sex THIS ENTIRE TIME YOU CLOD!”

“ALL OVER THE HOUSE EVEN!”

“LOOK AT THE BACK GARDEN DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT A WASTE IT HAS BEEN!”

“Stupid boy.”

To his credit, Adam valiantly straightens his spine, smooths down his shirt, and bravely and calmly suggests, “Well, let us not continue and compound mistake with mistake. Would you like, perhaps, to take a walk in the back garden with me?”

Justin smiled at his husband as Adam came out from behind the desk and offered Justin his hand, snatching a pillow or two and a throw blanket from the sofa as they walk by.

Justin, apparently, already had a spot in the back garden all picked out and Adam would revisit THAT thought later with some helpful answers from Justin, such as how many times you actually pictured us in that garden to know exactly where we should go, and where else did you picture us and also, do you think this table will hold both of us? For now, Adam was excessively happy. He simply couldn’t stand being physically separated from Justin, even by a few inches, and he reeled in his wayward intrepid adventurer of a husband and braced him up against their home, and leaned down to connect their lips, lazily sliding against one another in the warm morning sun, exploring for the first time how their lips felt against each other, the culmination of, oh, two entire lifetimes.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Adam throws open the nursery door, “I HEAR SOMEONE IS READY FOR BED IN HERE! WHO COULD THAT PERSON BE PAPA? DO YOU KNOW?”

Justin smothers a grin and steps up behind Adam, “I DON’T KNOW DADDY BUT I *THINK* IT MIGHT BE AIDEN!”

“Noooooooooo!!” A little voice pipes up from the far side of the nursery. Adam and Justin have a nanny that helps out here and there, she’s mostly an around the house helper, but no one does Bedtime except Papa and Daddy and it’s probably their favorite time of the day…you know, except all the other favorite times of the day. 

Bedtime starts with the ritual entering of the nursery, and the ritual questions to begin the hunt.

“No bedtime! No Daddy, no Papa!” Aiden giggles into his little hands, hiding behind a toychest.

“Papa I think I see someone that’s ready for bed, do you see him??”

“You know Daddy, I think I DO! We should go help him get right into bed shouldn’t we?”

“Why yes Papa I think we SHOULD!”

What follows can only really be called a rumpus. Tiny little legs fly around the nursery and hide under things and behind things and inside things while a tiny little voice protests “No not tired, no bed Daddy, time for awake Papa, promise! Not sleepy!” 

The rumpus is always ended by an amazing swooping catch performed by Papa and a sound pajamaing delivered by Daddy, and then lots and lots of tickly face kisses, before being tucked in and having a story told. Most days it’s a story about the faun that lives in the garden behind the house and all the adventures he gets into with his very best friend Mr. Bunny but sometimes it’s other things. And no matter what, like this story here, they always, always, have a happy ending.


End file.
